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Which on is grammatically correct?

  • I didn't need to say anything. So I kept quiet.

  • I needn't have said anything. So I kept quiet.

If both are correct, What is the difference in meaning?

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  • 2
    I don't know that it's a difference in meaning but I don't think Americans regularly use "needn't".
    – Catija
    Feb 16, 2017 at 23:09
  • Any difference is too subtle for me - although you kept quiet rather than quite.
    – Ronald Sole
    Feb 17, 2017 at 0:57

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  1. I didn't need to say anything. So I kept quiet.

  2. I needn't/need not have said anything. So I kept quiet.

The former statement is grammatical, whereas the latter isn't so.

The former means it was not necessary to say anything, so l kept quiet.

The latter means that although you said something, it wasn't necessary. The use of the sentence "So I kept quiet" is nonsensical as you said something.

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